Odisha train accident: 3 accused railway officials sent to judicial custody

A special court here has sent the three accused railway officials in the Balasore train disaster to judicial custody, after the end of their CBI remand period.

Senior Section Engineer (Signal) Arun Kumar Mahanta, Section Engineer Mohammed Amir Khan and Technician Pappu Kumar, who have been placed under suspension by the Railways, were produced before the CBI Special Court on Friday after their remand period ended.

The accused were arrested by the CBI on July 7.

The special court had granted five-day remand of the accused to the CBI, which is investigating the case, on July 7. Later, on July 11, the court had extended the remand period for four more days at the request of the investigating agency.

The next date of hearing is on July 27.

The three accused have been booked under IPC Sections 304 (culpable homicide not amounting to murder) and 201 (destruction of evidence), and under Section 153 of the Railways Act.

While the CBI is yet to submit its report on the case, the inquiry report of the Commissioner of Railway Safety (CRS), South Eastern Circle, has stated that the accident took place due to "lapses" in the signalling circuit alteration.

As many as 293 people were killed and over 1,200 injured when the Coromandel Express crashed into a stationary freight train at Bahanaga Bazar station in Balasore district, and some of its derailed coaches collided with Yeshwantpur-Howrah Express, on June 2.